Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen on following the Imaam even if he exceeds 11 Rak`aat

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen on praying Taraaweeh with two Imams in one Masjid even if they pray more than 11 Rak`aat.

بسم الله والحمد لله والصلاة والسلام على رسول الله ، وبعد

QUESTION (806): What about the one who prayed Taraweeh with the first Imaam and leaves and says: “I will receive the reward for praying the whole night because of the Hadeeth: ❝If a man prays with the Imaam until he leaves, that will be counted for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer❞, because I had started with the (first) Imaam and finished with him?

Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله replied:

As for his statement: “Whoever prays with the Imaam until he leaves, that will be counted for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer”, then this is an authentic which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم said when the Companions had asked him to lead them the rest of the night in prayers. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم had led them in prayer till the middle (or half) of the night had passed, the Companions said: “O Messenger of Allaah! Why don’t you lead us in prayer for the remainder of the night?” So he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Indeed whoever prays with the Imaam until he (the Imaam) leaves, then that will be counted for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer.❞

[Sunan al-Tirmidhee (806), Sunan Abu Dawood (1375), Sunan al-Nasaa’ee (1364, 1605), and Sunan Ibn Maajah (1327) and graded as “Saheeh” by Shaikh al-Albaanee]

But are the two Imaams in one Masjid considered as independent of each other or each of them is considered as the deputy of the other?

What would seem to be correct is the second understanding – that each one of them is the deputy of the other and is complementary to him. So based on this, if in a Masjid two Imaams lead the prayers, then these two Imaams will be considered as if they are one Imaam. So, the person should stay (and offer prayer) with the second Imaam till he finishes, because the second Imaam is carrying out the duty of the first one.

Based on this, I advise my brothers to follow the Imaams in (Masjid) al-Haram (Makkah) till they completely finish (the prayers). Even though there are some brothers who leave after they have prayed 11 (eleven) Rak`aat and say: “this is the number of Rak`aat that the Messenger of Allaah صلى الله عليه وسلم used to offer. So limiting oneself (to the number of Rak`aat that the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم used to offer) is better and there is no doubt about this, but I see that there is nothing to prevent one from praying more. This is not on the basis of turning away from the number of Rak`aat chosen by the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم, but on the basis that this is part of the Khair (goodness) in which it is prescribed to seek more of. When the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم was asked about the description of the night prayers, he صلى الله عليه وسلم said: ❝Prayer during the night should consist of pairs of Rak`aat (i.e. pray two Rak`aat at a time and then two and then two and so on), but if one of you fears that dawn (i.e. the time for Fajr) is near, then he should pray one Rak`ah which will make his prayer an odd number for him.❞

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree (472, 473, 990, 995, 1137) and Saheeh Muslim]

So this is from the matters in which there is scope for doing more, and it preferred that a person should not leave the congregation, but rather he should follow it. In Mina, when `Uthmaan رضي الله عنه offered and completed the (Dhuhr and `Asr) prayers as four Rak`aat, some of the Companions رضي الله عنهم objected to it, yet when they prayed behind him, they used to offer it as four Rak`aat.

[TN: Ibn `Umar رضي الله عنهما narrated: “Allaah’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم offered a two Rak`aat prayer at Mina. Abu Bakr and `Umar did the same. `Uthmaan during the early years of his caliphate followed the same practice, but later on he started praying the full prayer (i.e. offered four Rak`aat). When Ibn `Umar prayed with the Imaam, he said four Rak`aat, but when he prayed alone, he offered it as two Rak`aat.”

[Saheeh al-Bukhaaree and Saheeh Muslim and the wordings are his]]

So they offered the extra two Rak`aat so that they are in conformity with the congregation, and that they are united upon one word, and that there is no difference between them.

Agreement or uniting upon something is of major importance. Therefore, one should not follow his Madhhab and isolate himself from the congregation, while saying to others: “Either you are with me or you are with so-and-so.” This is wrong.

Based on this, as long as (difference of opinion in) the matter is acceptable (based on evidences), and as long as it does not go against the Sharee`ah, then being in compatible with the congregation should not lead to grudges and hostility against one another, as long as the matter is broad in scope, as has been reported numerous times from the Salaf al-Saaleh (Pious Predecessors), as mentioned by Imaam Ahmad and Shaikh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah رحمهم الله.  The Salaf have already preceded us in this regards, then we should not deviate. I repeat my call towards harmony and agreement and against division in matters (in which there is valid) reason for difference of opinion based on Ijtehaad.

[Majmoo` Fataawa of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (14/206-208)]

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Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen رحمه الله also said:

As for their saying: The Sunnah is to pray eleven Rak`aat.

We say: Yes, when you pray alone, then the Sunnah is not to exceed eleven Rak`aat, or if you were an Imaam, then the Sunnah is not to exceed eleven Rak`aat. But if you are praying behind someone in congregation, then pray as the Imaam does and follow him. If he prays twenty-three or thirty-three or thirty-nine Rak`aat, then follow him and that is better, and (following the Imaam) is in accordance with the Sharee`ah, because the Sharee`ah encourages towards uniting the Muslim Ummah and in harmonizing them, and is against division and discord. And this is in accordance with the general statement of the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم: ❝Indeed whoever prays with the Imaam until he (the Imaam) leaves, then that will be counted for him as if he spent the whole night in prayer❞.

Moreover, the Companions, even though they opposed it, yet they followed the Ameer al-Mu’mineen, `Uthmaan Ibn `Affaan رضي الله عنه, when he offered the prayers in full in Minaa (i.e. when he prayed four Rak`aat instead of two). They did this for the sake of unity and in avoiding division (within the Ummah).

[Majmoo` Fataawa of Shaikh Ibn al-`Uthaymeen (14/191)]